Carton for and method of packaging furniture



Dec 7, 1937. A. v. M DONALD El AL 2,101,403

CARTON- FOR AND METHOD OF PACKAGING FURNITURE Filed June 12, 1955 INVENTOEJJ HPCH/BHLD V MAC DONHLD EHYMOND 14- MIN/(LEE BY gl-IEPBE THf/E ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 7, 1937 UNITED STATES CARTON FOR AND IWETHOD OF PACKAGING FURNITURE Archibald V. MacDonald, Los Angeles, Raymond A. Minkler, Hawthorne, and Herbert Iske,

Alhambra, Calif.

Application June 12, 1935, Serial No. 26,192

Claims.

Our invention relates to thepacking of furniture for shipment.

It is among the objects of our invention to provide a method of packaging furniture in fiber board cartons.

Another object of our invention is to provide an improved sectional packing carton.

Another object of our invention is to provide acarton which is adjustable for different sized pieces of furniture.

Another object of our invention is to avoid the disadvantages of crates and wrapping.

Another object of our invention is to decrease damage to furniture.

Still another object of ourinvention is to decrease the cost of packing furniture.

A still further object,of our invention is to decrease shipping costs.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of our invention. It is to be understood that we do not limit ourselves to this disclosure of species of our invention,.as we may adopt variant embodiments thereof within the scope of the claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a projectional view showing the disassembled sections of a carton embodying our invention adapted for packaging a davenport;

- and Figure 2 is a projectional view showing the assembled carton.

In terms of broad inclusion, the method of packaging furniture embodying our invention comprises forming carton sections to fit the different shaped portions of a piece of furniture, and y then assembling the sections about the piece. The sections are preferably made of fiber board, and are designed to telescope together so that the carton may be adjusted to accommodate different sized pieces of furniture. The sections are also preferably formed to interlock. In packaging a piece of furniture, the pre-formed sections of the carton are preferably first assembled and fastened together, and then inserted over and fastened to the piece of furniture being packaged;

In greater detail, and referring particularly to the drawing, a carton for packaging a davenport is shown as illustrative of the improvements embodying our invention. As best shown in Figure 1, the carton comprises a plurality of separate pre-formed sections. These sections are preferably made of fiber board and are shaped and,

proportioned .to fit the diiferent shaped portions of the davenport 2.

The particular carton chosen for purposes of illustration comprises a pair of back sections 3 shaped to fit over the back of the davenport and adapted to telescope into one another to accommodate davenports of different lengths. Davenports of the overstuffed type vary in size as to length, but there is usually very little variation as to width and height. Since the sections 3 are adjustable as to length, by reason of the telescoping action, they are capable of fitting all sizes of davenports. Any slight variation as to height may be taken care of by folding under the lower edges of the sections.

The back sections 3 are of generally rectangular shape with front walls somewhat shorter than the outer end and back walls. The sections are open at their inner ends and one section is slightly narrower than the other to permit one to telescope within' the other. A recess 4 is cut in the forward corner of each of these back sections to fit over the arms of the davenport.

The arms of the davenport are covered by a pair of rectangularly shaped sections 6 having inner walls somewhat shorter than the end and outer walls. The inner ends of these arm sections are adapted to slidably engage the recesses 4 of the back section 3, and by reason of this engagement are adapted to accommodate slight variations that may occur in the arm length. The outer walls of the arm sections are preferably provided with extensions 1 adapted to interlock with the end walls of the back section 3.

The seat portions of the davenport are covered by L-shaped sections 8 adapted to overlap along their adjacent inner edges. By varying the amount of this overlap, the seat sections 8 may also be adjusted to accommodate davenports of different lengths. In event of a slight variation in the height of a davenport the lower edges of the seat sections may be folded under, as may the lower edges of the arm and back sections. Upturned flanges 9 are preferably provided along the end and inner edges of the horizontal portions of the seat sections, and are adapted to interlock behind the inner walls of the end sections 6 and back sections 3.

Projections H are also preferably provided along the, end edges of the depending apron portions of the seat sections. These projections interlock behind the end walls of the arm sections 6. The assembled view of the carton shown in Figure 2, clearly shows the manner in which the section are telescoped and interlocked.

The method of packaging the davenport is as follows: First a pair of longitudinal strips l2 are nailed to the underside of the legs 13. The various sections are then fitted over the daven- 5 port to determine the amount of telescoping and overlapping required for the particular length of davenport being packed. The sections are then assembled, preferably apart from the davenport, and the overlapping portions are fastened together at desirable points by suitable means I 4, such as by stapling or sewing. If a number of similar davenports are being packed, a plurality of uniformly sized cartons may be set up at the same time. After being set up and fastened the assembled carton is lowered over the davenport and tacked around its lower edges to the nailing strips I2, by nails IS.

The carton of our invention has many advantages over crating or burlaping. As compared to crating, the fiber board carton of our invention is materially lighter and effects a decided saving in freight costs. Furthermore, the cost of packing with our improved carton is less than half the cost of crating. The carton of our invention follows the lines of the furniture and thereby eliminates the problem of suspending the furniture as in crates. Frequently the suspension in crates gives way, which permits the furniture to shift and cause breakage and damage.

Furthermore, approximately one-third less ispace is needed to ship upholstered furniture contained in our carton as compared to crating.

A freight car may be loaded to the full minimum [Iload of 12,000 pounds when the furniture is ,packed in our cartons, while the same car will hold less than 9,000 pounds of the same merchandise when packed in crates.

As compared to wrapping furniture, such as .by burlaping, the carton of our invention is only about two-thirds as heavy as a wrapping. The cost of packing with our carton moreover is materially less than the cost of wrapping. From the angle of protection the carton of our invention is much superior to wrapping. Burlap or wrapping paper will not protect the furniture against liquids, such as oil, and permits the entrance of dirt and dust. Also a wrapping does not protect against rubbing, the impact of fall- :ing objects and the many other similar hazards of handling and shipping. These factors are responsible for more than 90% of the damage of the furniture shipped with merely protective wrapping. 55 We claim:

1. A carton for a piece of furniture having a seat, back and arms, comprising a section shaped to fit over one portion of the back, a section shaped to fit over another portion of the back and adapted to telescope with the other section to accommodate backs of difierent length, a section shaped to fit over a portion of the seat, a section shaped to fit over another portion of the seat and adapted to telescope with the other seat section to accommodate seats of different length,- and sections shaped to fit over said arms.

2. A carton for a piece of furniture having a seat, back and arms, comprising a section shaped to fit over one portion of the back, a section shaped to fit over another portion of the back and adapted to telescope with the other section to accommodate backs of different length, a section shaped to fit over a portion of the seat, a section shaped to fit over another portion of the seat and adapted to telescope with the other seat section to accommodate seats of difierent length, sections shaped to fit over said arms, and interlocking means on said sections.

3. A carton for a piece of furniture having a seat, back and arms, comprising a section shaped to fit over one portion of the back, a section shaped to fit over another portion of the back and adapted to telescope with the other section to accommodate backs of different length, a section shaped to fit over a portion of the seat, a section shaped to fit over another portion of the seat and adapted to telescope with the other seat section to accommodate seats of different length, sections shaped to fit over said arms, and means for fastening the sections together and to the piece of furniture.

4. A packing container for a piece of furniture, comprising a carton of relatively stiff, flexible, sheet material having an open bottom and fitted over the furniture piece, a strip of rigid material fastened to the lower portions of the furniture piece to provide a nailing strip whereby the flexible walls of the carton may be secured to the piece without carrying the load of the latter, and means for fastening the lower edges of the carton to the nailing strip.

5. A packing container for a piece of furniture, comprising a carton of stiff, flexible, sheet material having an open bottom and fitted over the furniture piece, a strip of rigid material fastened to the under side of the furniture piece and upon which the piece may rest to provide a skid and also a nailing strip whereby the flexible walls of the carton may be secured to the piece without carrying the load of the latter, and means for fastening the lower edges of the carton to the nailing strip.

ARCHIBALD V. MACDONALD. RAYNIOND A. MINKLER. HERBERT ISKE. 

